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Psychological Issues
in Cardiac Care
By Dr. Tom
Miller, Staff
Writer
What is Heart
Disease?
Heart disease, also
referred to as coronary artery disease
or cardiovascular disease (CVD), is
one of the most common diagnoses
as we age. Coronary artery disease
is characterized by arteriosclerosis
which is the thickening, hardening
and loss of elasticity of the walls of
arteries. It should not be confused
with atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis, caused
by the buildup of fatty plaques and
cholesterol in the artery. Coronary
heart disease is a build-up of fat (atherosclerotic plaque) in the walls of
the arteries around the heart and is
currently the number one cause of
death in the United States.
Who has Heart Disease?
Heart disease is no stranger to
Americans. The new heart disease
and stroke prevention guidelines
from the American Heart Association
and American College of Cardiology
note that cardiovascular disease rates
are higher than previously thought.
Nearly 81 million American adults
now live with some form of cardiovascular disease, be it hypertension,
coronary heart disease, heart failure,
stroke, or congenital heart defects.
What are the Causes of Heart
Disease?
The most common cause of heart
disease is the accumulation of plaque
buildup in one’s arteries. This buildup thickens and stiffens artery walls.
It can inhibit blood flow through the
arteries to vital organs and tissues. It
can be caused by correctable problems, such as an unhealthy diet, lack
of exercise, being overweight, and
smoking
Psychological Factors in
Cardiac Care
Psychosocial factors play a criti-
cal role in the cardiovascular risk
and heart disease. The American
Psychological Association reports
that over the last two decades, clinical
researchers have essentially abandoned work on the Type A behavior
pattern that dominated the early days
of cardiac development. Instead, they
are now focusing on the role that
two key elements of Type A behavior -- anger and hostility -- play in
the d